The police in Katsina State on Monday paraded a Niger Republic national, Haruna Yusuf, and his two sons for alleged banditry and gunrunning.
The police commissioner in Katsina, Sanusi Buba, said Mr Yusuf, 47, a resident of Muduru village in Mani Local Government Area of Katsina, led a syndicate supplying arms from Niger Republic to bandits in Zamfara and Katsina.
Mr Buba said the suspect was arrested alongside his sons, Ibrahim Salisu, 20, and Shuaibu Haruna, 18.
Other suspected members of the syndicate paraded were Haruna Yusuf, 47, of Sawarya village, Kaita LGA of Katsina State; Haruna Adamu, 35, and Auwal Abubakar, 28, both of Maduru village, Mani LGA of Katsina.
The police boss said Mr Yusuf had confessed to sourcing arms and ammunition from Niger Republic for Lawan Zayyana, Haruna Adamu and Auwal Abubakar who supply them to bandits in the forest.
“He confessed to have sold over 10,000 arms and ammunition to bandits in the forest.
“Furthermore, Haruna Adamu and Auwal Abubakar confessed to have severally (sic) trafficked these arms and ammunition to bandits at Gurbi and Dan-Magaji areas in Zamfara State,” Mr Buba said.
The police also paraded other criminal suspects.
They are Murtala Haruna, 20, described as a nephew of the arms dealer; Ibrahim Dabo, 19, from Natsinta village, Kandamau, Maradi, Niger Republic; Sambo Muhammadu, 22, and Jibir Adamu, 20.
Others are Sani Ibrahim, 20; Yusufa Muhammadu, 28; Abubakar Muhammadu, 26; Abdullahi Dabo, 28; Murtala Ado, 20, Sani Muhammad, 29; and Umar Bello, 28; all of Natsinta village, Kandamau, Maradi, Niger Republic.
Also paraded were Basiru Usman, 18, of Tsanni village, Batagarawa LGA of Katsina, who was described as a brother of the suspected arms supplier, Mr Zayyana and Kamaradini Jafaru, 30, of Muduru village, Mani LGA of Katsina State.
The police said items recovered from the suspects include two General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), one LAR rifle and 179 Anti-Aircraft (AA) ammunition and about N3.4 million CFA Franc.
Also recovered from the suspects were seven motorcycles, the police boss said.
He said the police would continue the investigation.
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